Western Poland (#11): Castle Ksiaz

Walbrzych (German: Waldenburg, Czech: Valbr(ich or Valdenburk) is a city in Lower Silesian Voivodeship in south-western Poland, with 125,773 inhabitants (2006). From 1975--1998 it was the capital of Walbrzych Voivodeship; it is now the seat of Walbrzych County. Walbrzych is by far the largest city in Poland that does not itself form a separate county (powiat), having given up that status in 2003. (The next largest such town is Inowroclaw, population 77,313.) Walbrzych lies approximately 70 kilometres (43.5 miles) south-west of the regional capital Wroclaw, and about 10 km from the Czech border. Ksiaz (German: Schloss Fürstenstein) is a castle in Silesia, Poland near the town of Walbrzych. It was built in 1288-1292 under Bolko I the Strict. It lies within a protected area called Ksiaz Landscape Park. History ... The original fortification was destroyed in the year 1263 by Ottokar II of Bohemia. Bolko I, Duke of Swidnica and Jawor built a new castle between 1288 and 1292. Duke Bolko II of Swidnica died in 1368 without having children with his wife Agnes von Habsburg. After her death in the year 1392, King Wenceslaus IV of Bohemia obtained the castle. In 1401, Janko z Chociemic obtained the castle. The Bohemian Hussites occupied the castle between 1428-1429. In 1464 Birka z Nasiedla obtained the castle from the Bohemian crown. He sold it to Hans von Schellendorf. This second castle was destroyed in 1482 by Georg von Stein. In the year 1509 Konrad I von Hoberg (from 1714: Hochberg) obtained the castle hill. The Hochberg family owned the castle until 1941. It was a part of the Project Riese until 1945. The castle was occupied by the Red army in 1945. Most artifacts were lost or destroyed.